Motorola Signs $33 Million Contract with NITEL for CDMA 2000 1X Network in Nigeria

Motorola’s solution enables fixed mobile convergence and new services

LAGOS, Nigeria – 9 May, 2006 – Nigeria Telecommunication Limited (NITEL) has signed a contract with Motorola for the deployment of a code division multiple access (CDMA) network across Lagos. By deploying a CDMA network, NITEL intends to increase its customer base from thousands to millions and offer richer, faster and more efficient services to Lagos’ mobile phone users.

The contract, which follows the $50 million GSM contract signed between Motorola and NITEL in 2003 builds upon a successful CDMA pilot project, and will allow NITEL to realize several key benefits including the ability to converge voice, data and video applications and also improve security and overall voice quality.

“As demand for wireless phones continues to grow across Nigeria, NITEL must meet this market need by expanding the service it provides,” says Chief Cornelius Adebayo, Nigeria’s Hon. Minister of Communications. “Motorola’s CDMA technology will achieve this aim, and enable us to complement our fixed line service with top-quality wireless phone services.”

"Motorola recognizes the crucial role that telecommunications plays in ensuring continued development in Nigeria and is helping NITEL achieve its plan to install six million telephone lines within the next three years,” said Raphael Udeogu, Motorola Nigeria Country Manager. “We are helping operators like NITEL continue the momentum towards developing fully converged core networks that will enable synchronized voice, data, and multimedia applications.”

NITEL expects its new technology platform, which is set to be implemented within four months, to add capacity for 300,000 new customers to its wireless network, and secure its leadership position in Africa by growing its subscriber base to one million.

“Today’s announcement will offer our customers a new wireless phone experience and will provide a platform which is compatible with future advancement of new applications and services,” said Albert Mashi, CEO, NITEL. “We have chosen Motorola to implement our CDMA network because they have both the technology and expertise to fulfill this important project, and their quick time-to-market will allow us to maintain our reputation for rapid, reliable results.”

About NITEL
Incorporated as a private limited liability company in 1984, NITEL is a merger of the defunct Nigerian External Telecommunications Limited (NET) as well as the Telecommunications Division of the Post and Telecoms Department (P&T). In the two decades of its existence, NITEL has demonstrated remarkable resilience and corporate capacity which remain unparalleled in Nigeria. In line with global trends and the quest for corporate and all-round stakeholder value, NITEL is currently undergoing fundamental changes, which is revolutionizing its business. The pace of corporate change initiatives has been accelerated and is leading to the emergence of a truly national public carrier engaged with strategic investment partners; deploying leading edge technology, embracing broad-based ownership and global best practices.

NITEL is committed to the realization of the strategic corporate development objectives which is chiefly the provision of world class telecoms services.

About Motorola
Motorola is known around the world for innovation and leadership in wireless and broadband communications. Inspired by our vision of Seamless Mobility, the people of Motorola are committed to helping you get and stay connected simply and seamlessly to the people, information, and entertainment that you want and need. We do this by designing and delivering “must have” products, “must do” experiences and powerful networks -- along with a full complement of support services. A Fortune 100 company with global presence and impact, Motorola had sales of US $36.8 billion in 2005. For more information about our company, our people and our innovations, please visit www.motorola.com

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MOTOROLA and the stylized M Logo are registered in the US Patent & Trademark Office. All other product or service names are the property of their respective owners. © Motorola, Inc. 2006.

Contact Information

Nicole Simunic

Motorola Southern Africa

Motorola, Inc.

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